About ClearSummit
Built Different. On Purpose.
I grew up around engineers who built radar and nuclear systems. The idea of building something right—the first time—was drilled into me before I could code.
But engineering without soul produces sterile products. My heart has always been in design, music, art, and culture. ClearSummit exists at that intersection: rigorous engineering with genuine craft.
ClearSummit is a boutique product-engineering agency. Since 2014, we've built production software for major corporations and startups. Senior engineers own the architecture, review every change, and stay close to the work.
Senior-Led Teams.
Senior engineers own the architecture and review every change on your project, and our designers have shipped products at consumer scale. We assemble the team deliberately around the work.
We turn down most projects that come our way. Not because we're arrogant—because we know what it takes to do exceptional work, and we won't dilute our team to chase revenue.
We Ship. You Scale.
We've built platforms for Belkin, Sony, Mitsubishi, CarParts and more. We've taken startups from napkin sketch to Series C. The pattern is always the same: we architect systems that don't break when success arrives.
Our job isn't done at launch. We build products that compound in value—and we stick around to make sure they do.
Leadership
Shane Zilinskas
Founder & CEO
Shane founded ClearSummit in 2014 and still works the way it started: he architects the systems, reviews the work that ships, and holds the standard himself. The platforms behind Mitsubishi Comfort and Phyn by Belkin were built under his hand. His attention has always run to design as much as engineering, and the products show it.
Kara McGehee
Co-Founder & COO
Kara came to software from law, and it shows in the best way: she runs the operations, the client experience, and the questions everyone else forgot to ask. She co-founded TuneRegistry, the music-rights platform ClearSummit built, and served as its Chief Product Officer through its SXSW launch. When engagements run smoothly here, that is her work.
How We Work
The principles behind every project.
Outcomes Over Activity
We measure success in revenue generated, users retained, and problems solved—not hours billed.
Engineers Who Design
Our developers understand UX. Our designers write code. No handoff gaps, no lost-in-translation.
Build Once, Build Right
We architect for where you're going, not just where you are. We make technical-debt decisions deliberately and tell you about them.
Radical Transparency
Full access to our tools, our process, and our thinking. No black boxes, no surprises.
Selective by Design
We deliberately limit concurrent engagements so the people who understand your product can stay close to it.
Long-Game Partners
Launch is day one, not the finish line. We're here for the iterations, pivots, and scale-ups.
Austin Roots. Global Reach.
A distributed team with a unified vision. Overlapping time zones give us working hours on both sides of the Atlantic.
United States
- Austin, TX
Argentina
- Buenos Aires
Brazil
- Florianopolis
Spain
- Barcelona
Let's talk about your project.
We'll tell you honestly if we're the right fit—and if we're not, we'll point you to someone who is.